Hydrangea plant named ‘COUFLORI’

ABSTRACT

A new Hydrangea plant particularly distinguished by having white flowers tinged with red-purple, and having and obovate plant shape with a broad-spreading habit, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Hydrangea paniculata.

Variety denomination: ‘COUFLORI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Hydrangea plant, botanically known as Hydrangea paniculata, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘COUFLORI’. ‘COUFLORI’ originated from an open pollination in France between two un-named and unknown Hydrangea paniculata parents. Seeds from the open-pollination were taken from the female parent and sown and a single plant was chosen in March 2013.

‘COUFLORI’ was first propagated in July 2015 in France. ‘COUFLORI’ was found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation via softwood cuttings.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices in Boskoop, The Netherlands.

-   -   1. White flowers tinged with red-purple; and     -   2. Having and obovate plant shape with a broad-spreading habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Hydrangea plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which shows the plant's overall plant habit including form, and foliage. Photos were taken in August 2021 in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit of ‘COUFLORI’, including flowers, and foliage.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the flowers.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up of an individual leaf.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘COUFLORI’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Boskoop, The Netherlands. Data was collected on two-year old plants grown outdoors in a 19 cm circular pot The Netherlands in August 2021. The range of day temperatures was 16° C. to 26° C. and the range of night temperatures was 8° C. to 20° C. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 6^(th) edition (2015).

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Hydrangeaceae.         -   Botanical.—Hydrangea paniculata.         -   Common.—Hydrangea.         -   Designation.—‘COUFLORFI’. -   Plant:     -   -   Propagation type.—Softwood.         -   Time to produce a finished plant.—Average is one year from             propagation to a small finished plant.         -   Plant shape.—Obovate.         -   Growth habit.—Broad spreading upright.         -   Average plant height.—86.0 cm.         -   Average plant diameter.—63.8 cm.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate.         -   Vigor.—Moderate to high.         -   High temperature tolerance.—At least tolerant to USDA Zone             9.         -   Low temperature tolerance.—At least tolerant to USDA Zone 5.         -   Weather tolerances.—Moderate tolerance to wind; moderate to             high tolerance to rain.         -   Disease/pest resistance and susceptibility.—Not more             susceptible to pests and diseases than other varieties of             same species. -   Branches:     -   -   Habit.—Freely branching.         -   Basal branching.—Present.         -   Pinching.—Not required but will improve branching.         -   Lateral branches.—Number of lateral branches per plant:             Average of 14. Length: Average is 41.0 cm, excluding             inflorescence. Diameter: Average is 0.55 cm. Internode             length: Average is 8.5 cm. Appearance and shape: Rounded.             Aspect/angle: Spreading-upright; average angle of 37.5             degrees to main branch. Strength: Strong. Color, immature:             RHS 183D (Greyed-Purple) and the underside is RHS 182C             (Greyed-Red). Color, mature: RHS 200C (Brown) and RHS 200D             (Brown); the older bark is RHS N199A (Grey-Brown) and RHS             N199B (Grey-Brown). Pubescence: Young stems are sparsely             covered with short adpressed hairs; length is 0.5 mm and             white (hairs are too small and sparse to be accurately color             with an RHS designation). Lenticels: General: Stems are             moderately covered with lenticels; lenticels are not visible             on mature stems. Length: 2.0 mm. Width: 1.0 mm. Color: RHS             164B (Greyed-Orange). -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite or in whorls of 3.         -   Number of leaves per lateral branch.—Approximately 16.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Apiculate.         -   Base.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Length.—Average is 7.5 cm.         -   Width.—Average is 3.5 cm.         -   Texture.—Upper surface: Smooth but sparsely to moderately             pubescent with very short strigose hairs; length is 0.4 mm             and colored greyed-white (hairs are too small to be             accurately color with an RHS designation). Lower surface:             Smooth but moderately pubescent on main and secondary veins             with very short adpressed hairs; length is 0.5 mm and             colored green-white (hairs are too small to be accurately             color with an RHS designation).         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Venation color.—Upper surface: RHS 145A (Yellow-Green).             Lower surface: RHS 147C (Yellow-Green).         -   Color.—Immature: Upper surface: RHS 143A (Green). Lower             surface: RHS 138B (Green). Mature: Upper surface: RHS 137B             (Green). Lower surface: A blend of RHS 138B (Green) and RHS             191B (Greyed-Green).         -   Petiole.—Length: Average is 1.3 cm. Diameter: Average is             1.75 mm. Color: The upper surface is RHS 178B (Greyed-Red)             and the lower surface is RHS 199B (Grey-Brown) and slightly             tinged with RHS 176B (Greyed-Orange) Appearance and texture:             Upper surface is slightly glossy but sparsely covered with             very short adpressed strigose hairs that are about 0.3 mm in             length and white in color (but too small to be measured with             RHS color chart); the lower surface is slightly glossy but             sparsely covered with very short adpressed strigose hairs             that are about 0.4 mm in length and white in color (but too             small to be measured with RHS color chart). -   Flowers:     -   -   Natural flowering season.—Mid-summer to late summer.         -   Time to produce a flowering plant.—One season.         -   Fragrance.—Very faint, sweet and pleasant.         -   General.—Center region of fertile florets surrounded by an             outer ring of sterile florets; panicle is 24.6 cm in height             and 21.4 cm in diameter and is irregular-conical in shape.         -   Peduncle.—Length: 21.7 cm. Diameter: 0.35 cm. Angle: For the             main peduncle, 0 degrees; for lateral peduncles, 40 degrees             to the main peduncle. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture:             Sparsely covered with thin adpressed hairs; length of hairs             is 0.4 mm and too small to be measured with an RHS color             chart. Appearance: Matte. Color: RHS 183C (Greyed-Purple)             and sparsely to moderately covered with lenticels that are             1.0 mm in length, 0.5 mm in diameter, and RHS 157A             (Green-White).         -   Sterile florets.—Bud: Length: 0.5 cm. Diameter: 1.2 cm.             Shape: Broad cup-shaped. Color: RHS 145C (Yellow-Green).             Florets: Quantity of sterile flowers per panicle: 500.             Aspect: Upright and outward to slightly drooping. Shape:             Rotate. Diameter: 3.0 cm. Height: 0.8 cm. Lastingness on the             plant: 6 weeks; flowers are persistent. Petals: Petals drop             after the bud stage and never open; dropped petals are RHS             NN155C (White) on the lower surface and RHS 73A (Red-Purple)             on the upper surface. Sepals: Quantity per flower: Average             of 4; occasionally 3 or 5. Arrangement: Rotate. Shape:             Obovate to elliptic. Apex: Shallowly retuse to obtuse. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Length: 1.6 cm. Width: 1.1 cm.             Appearance and texture (both upper and lower surfaces):             Matte and glabrous. Color: Upper surface: RHS 145C             (Yellow-Green) when opening and RHS 145B (Yellow-Green) when             fully opened and fading to RHS 180B (Greyed-Purple) and RHS             180C (Greyed-Purple). Lower surface: RHS 145D (Yellow-Green)             and a blend of RHS 145B (Yellow-Green) and 147D             (Yellow-Green) when fully opened and fading to a blend of             RHS 145B (Yellow-Green) and RHS 147D (Yellow-Green) and             moderately flushed with RHS 181C (Greyed-Purple) and RHS             181D (Greyed-Purple). Pedicel: Length: 2.0 cm. Diameter:             1.0 mm. Angle: 45 degrees to the main peduncle. Strength:             Moderately strong. Appearance and texture: Matte and             sparsely covered with thin, adpressed hairs that are 0.4 mm             in length and green-white (but too small to be accurately             designated an RHS color). Color: RHS 157D (Green-White) and             fading to RHS 157A (Green-White) towards the proximal end.         -   Fertile florets.—Bud: Length: 3.0 mm. Diameter: 3.0 mm.             Shape: Broad obovate. Color: RHS 157A (Green-White) and             tinged with RHS 75C (Purple); base (immature calyx) is RHS             145C (Yellow-Green). Quantity per panicle:             Approximately 300. Aspect: Upright. Shape: Rotate; petals             dropped when maturing. Diameter: 7.0 mm. Depth (height):             3.0 mm. Lastingness on the plant: 5 days and flowers are             self-cleaning; flowers drop when mature. Petals: Quantity of             petals per flower: 5. Arrangement: Rotate. Shape: Ovate;             moderately concave. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin:             Entire. Length: 3.0 mm. Width: 1.5 mm. Appearance and             texture: Upper surface: Slightly glossy and glabrous. Lower             surface: Matte and glabrous. Color: Upper surface: RHS             NN155D (White) when opening and fully opened. Lower surface:             RHS NN155C (White) and the top is tinged with RHS 75D             (Purple) and RHS NN155D (White) when fully opened. Sepals:             Quantity per flower: 5. Arrangement: Rotate. Shape: Deltoid.             Apex: Broad acuminate. Base: Broad cuneate. Margin: Entire.             Length: 1.0 mm. Width: 0.8 mm. Appearance and texture: Upper             surface: Matte and glabrous. Lower surface: Glabrous and             very slightly glossy. Color (both upper and lower surfaces):             RHS 145C (Yellow-Green) when opening and fully opened.             Pedicel: Length: 1.0 mm. Diameter: 0.5 mm. Angle: 20             degrees. Strength: Moderate. Texture and appearance:             Moderately to densely covered with thin pubescence; average             length is 0.3 mm and colored white to green-white (hairs are             too small to be accurately measured with RHS designation);             matte. Color: RHS 157D (Green-White). -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Androecium.—Sterile flowers located on the androecium but             they drop after the bud stage and so no reproductive organs             have been observed.         -   Gynoecium.—Fertile flowers located on the androecium.             Quantity of stamen per flower: 10. Filament length: 3.0 mm.             Filament color: RHS NN155D (White). Anther shape: Broad             oblong. Anther length: 0.3 mm. Anther color: RHS 145B             (Yellow-Green). Pollen quantity: Low to moderate. Pollen             color: RHS 156B (Greyed-White). Quantity of pistils per             flower: 3. Pistil length: 0.75 mm. Stigma shape:             Club-shaped. Stigma color: RHS 157D (Green-White). Style             length: 0.5 mm. Style color: RHS 145D (Yellow-Green). Ovary             color: RHS 145B (Yellow-Green) to RHS 145D (Yellow-Green).         -   Seed.—Not observed to date.

COMPARISON WITH COMMERCIAL VARIETY

No comparison can be made with both parents of ‘COUFLORI’ as the parents are unknown and un-named.

‘COUFLORI’ can be distinguished between the commercial variety ‘Limelight’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,874) in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Comparison with Commercial Variety Characteristic ‘COUFLORI’ ‘Limelight’ Height of plant 86.0 cm 180 cm to 240 cm 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Hydrangea plant designated ‘COUFLORI’ as illustrated and described herein. 